Books That Cook - by Melissa A Goldthwaite & Jennifer Cognard-Black (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Organized like a cookbook, Books that Cook: The Making of a Literary Meal is a collection of American literature written on the theme of food: from an invocation to a final toast, from starters to desserts. All food literatures are indebted to the form and purpose of cookbooks, and each section begins with an excerpt from an influential American cookbook, progressing chronologically from the late 1700s through the present day, including such favorites as American Cookery, the Joy of Cooking, and Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The literary works within each section are an extension of these cookbooks, while the cookbook excerpts in turn become pieces of literature--forms of storytelling and memory-making all their own. Each section offers a delectable assortment of poetry, prose, and essays, and the selections all include at least one tempting recipe to entice readers to cook this book. Including writing from such notables as Maya Angelou, James Beard, Alice B. Toklas, Sherman Alexie, Nora Ephron, M.F.K. Fisher, and Alice Waters, among many others, Books that Cook reveals the range of ways authors incorporate recipes--whether the recipe flavors the story or the story serves to add spice to the recipe. Books that Cook is a collection to serve students and teachers of food studies as well as any epicure who enjoys a good meal alongside a good book"--

Book Synopsis

Whether a five-star chef or beginning home cook, any gourmand knows that recipes are far more than a set of instructions on how to make a dish. They are culture-keepers as well as culture-makers, both recording memories and fostering new ones.

Organized like a cookbook, Books That Cook: The Making of a Literary Meal is a collection of American literature written on the theme of food: from an invocation to a final toast, from starters to desserts. All food literatures are indebted to the form and purpose of cookbooks, and each section begins with an excerpt from an influential American cookbook, progressing chronologically from the late 1700s through the present day, including such favorites as American Cookery, the Joy of Cooking, and Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The literary works within each section are an extension of these cookbooks, while the cookbook excerpts in turn become pieces of literature--forms of storytelling and memory-making all their own.

Each section offers a delectable assortment of poetry, prose, and essays, and the selections all include at least one tempting recipe to entice readers to cook this book. Including writing from such notables as Maya Angelou, James Beard, Alice B. Toklas, Sherman Alexie, Nora Ephron, M.F.K. Fisher, and Alice Waters, among many others, Books That Cook reveals the range of ways authors incorporate recipes--whether the recipe flavors the story or the story serves to add spice to the recipe. Books That Cook is a collection to serve students and teachers of food studies as well as any epicure who enjoys a good meal alongside a good book.

Review Quotes

"A buffet of poems, stories, essays and recipes. . . . Food lovers and cookbook collectors will savor this literary stew."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"An observation made by Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor in Books that Cook explains the broad appeal of this enjoyable collection of contemporary American writing about food: 'Everybody eats!' As the anthology also shows, however, cooking and eating are shaped by society, culture and individual needs more than by simple nutrition."-- "TLS"

"Because food anchors our humanity in the ways that it is consumed, circulated, produced and represented, Books that Cook is a delicious, accessible, and versatile contribution to the growing field of food studies, particularly as it relates to issues of history, memory, and identity."-- "Blog of the American Studies Journal"

"Books that Cook, an ingenious collection of food-themed American writing, is organized like a meal, from starters to dessert.No matter what your food or reading preferences are, youll find something delectable inBooks that Cook."-- "Southern Maryland Magazine"

"Books that Cookis a savory concoction of prose, poetics, and recipes that narrate U.S. history and memory through the optic of the cookbook since the eighteenth century.Because food anchors our humanity in the ways that it is consumed, circulated, produced and represented, Books that Cookis a delicious, accessible, and versatile contribution to the growing field of food studies, particularly as it relates to issues of history, memory, and identity."-- "American Studies"

"Books that Cookoffers lively, varied reading . . . this is a collection well worth the devoted food reader's time."-- "PopMatters"

"Books That Cookreveals how food is fundamental in marking distinctions of power, gender, race, and sexuality within literature, history, and the contemporary moment.Jennifer Cognard-Black and Melissa A. Goldthwaite offer a smorgasbord of recipes to tempt our palates as well as our minds, engage our senses and our kitchen cookery. You will not be able to put down this delicious addition to the field of food studies."--Psyche Williams-Forson, University of Maryland, College Park

"Books ThatCookoffers a delicious collection of contemporary American writing that treats the human condition in relation to food, eating, and cooking. Food serves as a powerful hook into conversations about class, ethnicity, gender, politics, and aesthetics; this collections juxtaposition of cookbook and story, poem, or essay makes that conversation possible."--Scott Miller, Director, Sonoma State Writing Center

"I hadn't considered that cookbooks are a form of literature before, but I'm sure thinking about it now. It explains why I hate to cook but I love reading cookbooks...It's a lovely book for any foodie or for anyone with an interest in how we write and talk about food."-- "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books"

"Jennifer Cognard-Black and Melissa A. Goldthwaite have compiled a fabulous collection to satisfy even the hungriest of literature lovers. . . . Because it is a mixture of new and old treasures, you will feel like you've just finished a meal andprovided impeccable table service. It's that good."-- "San Francisco Book Review"

"Readable and entertaining. . . . The editor's skill at serving up mouth-watering selections is repeatedly demonstrated throughout the text. . . . From their enthusiastic flour-to-elbows perspective, Books that Cookis more than simply another anthology, it's a living text to be taken into the kitchen and spattered with sauces and gravy."-- "VQR"

"The perfect book to accompany a meal, this anthology also contains recipes ideal for literary discussions. The editors, both professors of English and writing, have sifted contemporary American literature for poems, essays, and fiction in which food plays a prominent role. The pieces theyve gathered use dishes as touchstones for exploring culture, ethnicity, and more."-- "Politics and Prose"

"The volume includes poems, stories, and essays, along with recipes, and some of each are original. There are beloved bits, too, from Laurie Colwins classic piece on three repulsive meals to Maya Angelous caramel cake. The perfect gift for your summer hostess who loves to read, cook, and consider."-- "Washingtonian.com"

"This book is a collection of stories, memories, literature, and poetry of food and cooking. With various writers and chefs sharing their experiences with and thoughts on food, this book takes the reader into the world of food literature and food sociology. . . . The work is one a reader could happily read cover to cover, or, as with a good meal, savor one piece at a time. . . . This book will delight foodies, food historians, anthropologists, cookbook enthusiasts, and any literature fans who like to eat."-- "Library Journal"

"This delightful collection of prose, poetry, and essays, all introduced by excerpts from important, American cookbooks dating back to the 1700s, explores the way food reflects and creates culture. An important addition to the study of gastronomy, it features the work of such contemporary authors as Maya Angelou, Nora Ephron, and Alice Waters, and is organized like a cookbook with each section including at least one delectable recipe."-- "Ms. Magazine"

About the Author

Melissa A. Goldthwaite (Editor)
Melissa A. Goldthwaite is Professor of English at Saint Joseph's University. She is the author, editor, or co-editor of many books, including Food, Feminisms, Rhetorics, Books That Cook: The Making of a Literary Meal, The Norton Pocket Book of Writing by Students, The St. Martin's Guide to Teaching Writing, and The Norton Reader.

Jennifer Cognard-Black (Editor)
Jennifer Cognard-Black is Professor of English at St. Mary's College of Maryland. She is the author and co-editor of several books, including Books that Cook: The Making of a Literary Meal. She has published her essays and short fiction in numerous journals, including Story, Versal, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and she has two lecture series with The Great Courses as well as an Audible Original, "Books that Cook: Food & Fiction."

Marion Nestle (Foreword by)
Marion Nestle is Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, emerita, at New York University. She is the author of three prize-winning books, including Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health, What to Eat, and most recently, Slow Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics. She blogs almost daily at www.foodpolitics.com.